Persons of note: Initial research

Carl Sagan

• astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist...
• Author 
• Discovered high surface temperatures on venus
• Had a really strong interest and role in trying to discover extraterrestrial life 
• assembled the first physical messages to be sent out into space (time capsules)
• Pioneer Plaque
• Voyager golden record
• Award winning TV series - Cosmos: a personal voyage
• Professor of Astronomy at Cornell for planetary studies. 
• Died of pneumonia at 62. 

Ella Fitzgerald 

• "The first lady of song" - american Jazz singer
• Humble and rocky beginnings
• mum died in a car accident, and her step-dad died shortly after of a heart-attack 
• went in a downward spiral - started skipping school, getting trouble with the police
• she was sent to a reform school were she was beaten, from which she escaped at the age of 15 years of age. 
• Faced discrimination during her career - in Dallas the police arrested her and her musicians for on reason and took them down to the station. 
• Marilyn monroe was one of her avid supporters
• Deep concern for child welfare, generous donations to organisations for disadvantaged children 
• Health problems in her later life - which led to her legs being amputated at 76. 

Hypatia of Alexandria 

• female philosopher and mathematician from Alexandria, Egypt. 
• Her father was Theon, last professor at University of Alexandria.
• he did not raise her in traditional female roles but taught her his trade of teaching 
• She was known for her 
• generosity
• love of learning 
• teaching of Neo-platonism, mathematics, science and philosophy
• She remained celibate throughout her life and devoted herself to learning and teaching 
• Little is known about her actual life, the most important aspect of her life was actually her death and what it represented. She was murdered by a Christian mob who branded her witch, because she was teaching concepts that undermined religious beliefs/teachings. 
• Her death represented the loss of civilization in the face of religious intolerance. 

In this initial research I think I connected more with the struggles of Hypatia of Alexandria and Ella Fitzgerald. On the other hand I feel more motivated to research further the life and work of Carl Sagan. His work is primarily based on space and technology, which I think will be really interesting topics to research and illustrate - therefore I think I will take him forward as my 'person of note'.